Maryland and Missouri, which are adopting recreational marijuana, are a significant event, but states account for only 3.8% of the adult population in the United States. About 56 percent of Arkansas voters opposed legalization, while nearly 55 percent of North Dakota voters and nearly 53 percent of South Dakota residents said no to pot. More than 65 percent of Maryland voters said yes to legalization and 53 percent of Missourians. Although cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, most U.S. states have legalized the use and sale of marijuana for medical purposes. More and more legalize the plant for recreational purposes. Here are the facts about marijuana legalization in the U.S. Opponents point the finger at Colorado for proof that legalization can have adverse effects. The Colorado Department of Criminal Justice regularly reports on the effects of cannabis after legalization. Some may point to staggering statistics released last year that revealed that the number of drunk driving subpoenas where drivers tested positive for marijuana increased by 120 percent from 2014 to 2020.
And nearly three-quarters of people aged 10 to 17 in addiction treatment say marijuana is their main drug. An overwhelming majority of Americans support the legalization of marijuana, with a record 68% in favor. That`s a problem with bipartisan support, with about 50 percent of Republicans in favor. “In this era of bipartisan politics, marijuana legalization and regulation is one of the few policy issues that voters on the ideological `right` and `left` agree,” Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), wrote in a blog post. Related: Clear Majorities of Black Americans Support Marijuana Legalization, Sentencing Relaxation A recent Pew Research poll shows that 91% of Americans say time to legalize at least some marijuana uses. Gallup polls indicate that two-thirds of Americans support full legalization of weed. Cannabis is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States; Sales of adult and medical products reached $25 billion in 2021 and could reach $100 billion by 2030, according to Wall Street estimates. Eighteen states have legalized cannabis for adults, and 19 others currently have at least one comprehensive medical marijuana program. In 2020, one in three Americans lived in a state with access to legal marijuana, according to Politico, and that number is growing rapidly as the East Coast catches up with the West — last year, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Virginia all passed adult cannabis laws, joining Maine.
Massachusetts and Vermont. Rhode Island lawmakers are expected to approve a legalization bill this month. Earlier this year, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced a bill to eliminate cannabis and scrap some federal documents. However, this bill does not currently have the votes in the Senate to pass. A House bill introduced by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) would provide grants to states that want to scrap cannabis-related records. The laissez-faire approach codified by the Cole memo allowed the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in the states without being challenged by the federal government. By dropping it, former Attorney General Sessions gave U.S. prosecutors the freedom to prosecute people who violate the federal marijuana ban, regardless of state law. >Republicans are more cautious than Democrats when it comes to legalizing recreational marijuana: 45 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents favor legalizing medical and recreational marijuana, while 39 percent should say they are legal only for medical use. In comparison, 73% of Democrats and Democrats say marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational purposes; Another 21% say it should only be legal for medical purposes.
While the majority of Democrats of all ages support legalizing medical and recreational marijuana, older Democrats are less likely to say so. About half of Democrats ages 75 and older (51%) say medical or recreational marijuana should be legal; Larger proportions of young Democrats say the same thing.